Camera-stand.



No. 734,7 3; PATENTED JULY 28, 1903.

J. E. SMITH.

CAMERA STAND. APPYLIUATION 31mm NOV. 14, 1902.

WITNESSES: IN VEN 7'01? PATENT Patented July 28, 1903.

JAMES H. SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAMERA-STAN o.

.SEEGIFIGATION torming part of Letters Patent No. 7 34,7 63, dated July 28, 1903.

Application filed November 14, 1902. Serial No. 131,358. (No model-l To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES II. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in

. the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have which form a part of this specification.

In this application my invention is shown as applied to a photo-camera stand. It is,

however, equally well adapted to other uses.

in which a standard is movable and adjustable in a supporting structure. Advantages appear in its automatism, its easy releasementfrom action, its cheapness, and its durability. Additionally, in connection with the stand shown in the drawings, it acquires a secondary function in its bindingeffect upon the hoist band-shaft, which is suflicient to prevent slack of the band and play of the shaft when those parts are left inoperative. Its

manual portion is'conveniently located contiguous to the crank of the hoist-shaft, while its operative features are protected by and partially hidden within the base-frame.

The accompanying drawings fully illustrate the invention, in'which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a camerastand the base-frame of which is partly broken away to expose the locking device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of part of a cross-section on lines 00 00, a; 00 of Fig. 1, showing the device inoperative. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section on line @1 y of Fig. 1, showing a cam in operative contact; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary modification of a cam-lifting rod and some other parts adjacent.

In the drawings the letter A indicates the frame of a camera-stand. It has a base a, mounted 011 casters, and its inner front and rear sides are provided with vertical cleats 'a' a. B is avertically-movable standard on The memberB is raised by means of the band C and shaft D, operated by crank E, and is lowered by gravity.

F F are short arms or cams on the shaft D, on which they have a limited rotary movement and are adapted to engage the edges of the front and rear sides of the standard B and to automatically lock or bind the same tightly at any desired elevation. Various means may be employed to lift the cams out of engagement with the standard, one of which is shown in Fig. 4, which consists of a bar I, placed under the cams, having on its upper surface wedge-shaped projections '21 t' to raise and lower the cams by sliding the bar endwise in and out upon bearings provided'in frame A.

I do not limit myself to any particular camlifting device, but prefer the one shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. This consists of a rod or stout wire Gr, having a handle g and journaled in the upper quadrangle of frame A. Itis bent between its bearings to form cranks g g, which contact with the under sides of the cams, moving thereagainst within the staples g g which maintain the cam in operative relation to the stand. The handle g, which stands upright, may oscillate to eii her side of the vertex, and by its weight assists to retain the cams, as disposed, either in or out of the locking position.

It is apparent that when the stand is locked by other devices there will frequently be some play of the crank and shaft and slacking of the band, especially when the crank has been stopped on the upward turn. By journaling the cams on the band-shaft an we tra shaft is avoided and the pressure of the cams when locked against the band-shaf t prevents this annoyance.

Evidently more or fewer than two camsmay be employed, and my invention is not restricted to any definite number or particular form of the cams.

The manipulation of this invention is Very easy and is obvious without furthereXpla-nation from the description above given. Its attachment to a stand involves but littlecost, andit is strong and effective in the highest degree.

What I claim, and desire to secure, is- 1. In a camera-stand having a member vertically adjustable by means of a shaft on the base-frame provided with a crank and a band on said shaft connected with said adjustable member, cams j ournaled on said shaft to lock said member, and to slightly bind said shaft as described.

2. In a stand having a member Vertically adjustable by means of a shaft on the baseframe and a band on said shaft connected with said member, cams journaled on said shaft, a rod having bearings in the stand and projections on said rods, adapted to lift said cams as herein described.

3. In a stand having a member Vertically adjustable by means of a shaft on the baseframe and a band on said shaft connected with said member, cams journ aled on said shaft, a rod supported on the stand having projections thereon beneath said cams, staples on said cams through which said projections pass, and means to operate said shaft and said rod, as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

. JAMES H. SMITH. W itnesses:

R. G. SMITH, IDARENA P. I-IAMBLEN. 

